The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 202: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DEATH 177 closer to him, as they spoke in half-hushed and awe-inspired whispers of the wretched man whom they had ere now seen kneeling, crushed and overwhelmed, at their feet; but again they smiled as they exultingly exclaimed, “ Thank Heaven, his innocence is made manifest! ”’ And though neither at the moment mentioned the name, yet in the sympathy and unison of their hearts did they mutually comprehend to whom the allusion pointed, — that benefactor whom they had known as Mr. Redcliffe, and whom they had subsequently learned to be Lord Clandon or Bertram Vivian, and who was now the inmate of a felon’s eaol, but a gaol from which he would shortly be released. And oh, what a deep debt of gratitude did the twins feel that they owed to that high-minded, noble-hearted queen who had toiled on so laboriously, so perseveringly, and so ardu- ously, to bring all matters to that crisis which should at the same instant afford the opportunity for proving Bertram Vivian’s innocence, and for proclaiming that they them- selves were scions of the ducal house of Marchmont. But, on the other hand, how immense was the compassion which Christian and Christina experienced for the unfortunate Lavinia, — that lady whom they knew to be so innocent and so amiable, and who had proved a ministering angel to the husband at whose hands she had sustained so much wrong in so many different ways! The twins had been left alone together for nearly an hour ere Queen Indora returned to them as morning was ad- vancing. But during that hour how much had they to think of, how much to talk of, what subjects of wonder and horror to contemplate, what contrasts to draw between the past and the present, what tears of sweetness and sadness to shed in alternate showers! And now the queen came back to them, and Christina threw herself into the arms of that sovereign lady who had never treated her as an inferior, but always as a friend; and Christian, taking her Majesty’s hand, pressed it to his lips. They sat down to converse together, and the queen communicated to them the happy intelligence that Mr. Coleman had set off to London to report the issue of all these proceedings at Oaklands to him whom they so nearly con- cerned; so that our hero and heroine knew that not many hours would elapse ere Bertram Vivian would be relieved GOMIIGDOG Ss) (©)